Paul Scholes urges Manchester United ‘superstar’ to join Chelsea

Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt have tipped Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo for a sensational transfer to Premier League rivals Chelsea.

Mainoo is still waiting to make his first start in the Premier League this season, having slipped down the pecking order at Old Trafford since Ruben Amorim’s appointment last November.

The 20-year-old was viewed as one of the most promising players at not only United but in the Premier League after his breakthrough season under Erik ten Hag.

Mainoo’s form under the Dutchman led to him being included in England’s squad for Euro 2024 and the then-teenager even started the final defeat to Spain.

After seeing his game-time dry up last season, Mainoo asked to leave Manchester United on loan last summer but was told by Old Trafford bosses he would be staying put.

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Mainoo is desperate for a move away from United in January, however, as he continues to be overlooked by Amorim, who appears to have major reservations about the England international.

Napoli have expressed interest in signing Mainoo but Old Trafford legends Scholes and Butt believe he could end up at Chelsea.

Chelsea were linked with Mainoo last year and have signed a number of young, talented players in the Todd Boehly era, including Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Scholes said: ‘Ruben Amorim has said Kobbie Mainoo is a starter… every appearance he’s made in the Premier League has been as a sub. Things like that wind me up.

‘I wouldn’t mind if he was in a good team and they were winning every week and keeping possession but they’re rubbish.

‘Kobbie is a 20-year-old kid and he’s not playing, he’s going to have to leave. Do you know what will happen now? Amorim will bring him into a game and he won’t be great but that’s because he needs regular games.

‘Fair enough, as a manger sometimes you just don’t fancy a player. But look at what he’s already done – scored the winner in an FA Cup final, played every game in the Euros.

‘I bet he takes the p*** out of Casemiro every single day in training and is brilliant. I don’t know why the club are letting Amorim treat a homegrown talent like that.’

Scholes’ former United teammate Butt described Mainoo’s struggles as an ‘absolute joke’ and predicted Chelsea would launch a move for the frustrated midfielder.

‘The Kobbie one is an absolute joke,’ Butt said. ‘I went to the West Ham game [a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford] and it was an absolute s***show. It was a terrible, boring game.

‘The player to bring on to change the game, in my opinion, was Kobbie Mainoo – but he didn’t get on the pitch. He’ll be another homegrown player who leaves and is a superstar somewhere else.

‘If Mainoo was playing for another Premier League club, United go and buy him for £70m or £80m. Now we’re going to sell him and he’ll be a superstar elsewhere like McTominay, Elanga, Henderson – we can mention loads of them.

‘We’re getting rid of players who love the football club, it’s mind-boggling. I get the Garnacho one because his attitude and behaviour was terrible but you don’t hear that about Kobbie.

‘He’s a top, top, top player that we are f****** up. Kobbie has got to go. If I’m looking after him I’m telling him “we’re getting you out of that football club”.

‘For his football career he has to leave United, he’s lost 18 months of development. I hope he goes abroad because it’s embarrassing if he goes to Chelsea, which could happen.

‘They might go and get him because they are putting together a very good, young squad and keep buying young players. He could quite easily end up at Chelsea next season.

‘I’ve known Kobbie since he was eight but you wouldn’t be doing him justice if you told him to stay and not to take that move. That’s such a sad thing for me to say.’

Scholes also said Chelsea could be a good landing spot for Mainoo, who has made 83 appearances for his boyhood club.

‘Do you know what? You’d have to advise him to go [to Chelsea], wouldn’t you?’ Scholes admitted.

‘If he rang me and said “look, Chelsea are interested, what do you think?” I’d say go all day long.’

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